1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fin sealed box, an integrate barrier coating and a relockable fitment closure that are combine to create a novel package which is easily formed, filled and sealed by the packager and easily opened and reclosed by the consumer Such structures of this type, generally, employ reclose feature such as an audibly relockable fitment, breakaway button snap, an tear-away tab, to add even more convenience and tamper-evidence for the consumer.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known, in the food packaging industry, to make use of stand-up pouches. Exemplary of such prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,109 ('109) to O. Kan, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Producing Shelf-Standing Bags" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,497 ('497) to F. Bustin, entitled "Free-Standing Thermoplastic Bag Construction". While these bags offer good barrier properties and reclosability, they lack the rigidity for delicate, flaky food items.
It is also known to employ outer cartons with inner liners Exemplary of such prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,822 ('822) to A. Egli, entitled "Package Composed of a Inner Bag Enclosed by an Outer Container", U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,093 ('093) to S. D. Hogan, entitled "Tobacco Package With Disposal Pouch", and U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,404 ('404) to J. C. Walsh, entitled "Carton Blank". While these hybrid bag/box structures may improve filling efficiencies, they are expensive to make due to lamination costs and include an inner bag which must be eliminated, while maintaining the necessary barrier properties.
It is further known to employ a bagless box with a thermo-plastic coating and a reclosable top. Exemplary of such prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,406 ('406) to R. L. Gordon et al., entitled "Semi-Rigid Cereal Carton" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,4 ('473) to R. L. Gordon et al., entitled "Method of Making a Semi-Rigid Cereal Carton". While the '406 and '473 patents disclose bagless containers, these containers are not stackable and lack a positive reclose feature. Also, their triangular profiles require more paperboard surface per volume than a rectangular box.
Finally, it is known to employ various reclose features on food cartons. Exemplary of such prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,783 ('783) to P. VanderLugt, Jr., entitled "Carton With Reclosure Feature", U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,693 ('693) to M. Diaz, entitled "Cardboard Container Cover", U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,938 ('938) to T. P. Hambleton, entitled "Carton With Reclosable Membrane Liner", and U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,431 ('431) to A. Bertone, entitled "Closure Clasp for a Gable-Topped Food Carton". All of these references suffer from various deficiencies. For example, the '431 reference lacks the necessary geometry for dry food packaging. Also, the opening in the '431 reference is not large enough for the pouring of cereal or dispensing of other dry food products, such as crackers. The '938 reference mentions the use of pressure sensitive adhesives for reclosing; however, it is well known that these materials become contaminated with product during normal use and are, therefore, rendered useless. The '693 reference describes a fitment which is used as a measuring device. However, this '693 fitment would not work to secure a flap closed. The '783 reference describes a non-conventional paperboard opening feature. However, this type of feature lacks durability with multiple uses. Finally, tamper evidence is not addressed in any of these references.
It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a paperboard container which is rigid and stackable, and includes a positive reclose, tamper evident feature, but which at the same time avoids the use of an inner bag.
It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.